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“Have you seen my cell phone? I can’t find it.” She’d searched for it the moment she woke up, but it was nowhere to be found. Could she have left it at the store somehow?
His lips tightened. “I know where it is. I have it.”
Cat frowned. “You do? Why?”
“You left it in the living room, and while you were sleeping it kept ringing.” He blew out a harsh breath and glared at her, clearly angry. But for whatever reason, she knew his anger wasn’t directed at her. “It was your sister. After about the tenth call in less than ten minutes, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I answered your phone and told her to stop harassing you.”
Oh no. “You spoke to her?” Her mouth fell open in disbelief and she slowly shook her head, snapping her lips shut when she figured she must look ridiculous. “Um, what did she say? Was she angry?”
“I really don’t give a shit if she was angry. She made me angry with her constant calling and text messaging.” His expression turned sheepish, which she bet was an unusual look for him. “I might’ve read a few.”
She closed her eyes. How mortifying, that he got put in the middle of her argument with her sister. “I’m sorry if she yelled at you.”
“Christ, Cat, there’s nothing for you to apologize for. I’m the one who should be sorry. I interfered in your personal life, invaded your privacy by reading your texts and yelling at your sister.” He shook his head. “But I couldn’t just let her bombard you with endless calls and texts. They were downright abusive. And I told her that.”
Oh, God. Annalisa was probably furious. “How did she take you telling her she’s abusive?” She could only imagine. An endless stream of screaming denials, she was sure.
“Not very well.”
That was most likely a complete understatement. Her sister had always tried to run her life and especially in the last few years, it had become worse. Once their father had become a ghost, Annalisa had taken it upon herself that she needed to take over both Cat’s and their mother’s lives. Cat hadn’t protested too hard since she knew her sister seemed to need the control to keep her head steady.
Rafe was starting to help her realize that she needed to live her own life. On her own terms. Instead of having her sister tell her what to do or always wanting to be careful in case she upset her mother. She was sick of it.
Sick. Of. It.
“You’re right. I should be angry with you for invading my privacy.” He cast a sharp glance at her, and she smiled faintly. “But I’m thanking you instead. For telling Annalisa to back off. I’ve never had the guts to do that before.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I read your texts and answered her call. I just…I didn’t want you to wake up to an endless amount of angry voicemails from your sister.” He grimaced. “She was furious when I demanded she back off. Told me to mind my own business.”
Her heart softened. He was protecting her. No one protected her. Oh, Annalisa believed in her slightly twisted brain that everything she did and said to Cat was to help her, but really? She was starting to see that her sister did more harm than good.
“I appreciate you defending me,” she murmured.
“No one should have to take that sort of treatment, Cat, not even from a loved one. No one.” He shook his head, his voice firm.
“I know. You’re right.” But how could she make her sister stop? She didn’t know. Didn’t think she had the strength to actually stand up to Annalisa and tell her to back off.
What sort of wimp did that make her?
“If you’re still too tired, we could always go out tomorrow night,” he suggested, his voice quiet. “It’s getting late and you probably want to take a shower before we go, right?”
She shook herself from her thoughts. “No, I think this is exactly what I need tonight. It’ll be the perfect distraction, going out. Having a few drinks, dancing.” Pausing, she studied him. “Do you dance, Rafe?”
His lips twitched. “Not very well.”
“Oh.” Disappointment crashed through her. She’d hoped he would dance with her. Maybe even to a slow song. She wanted to know what it felt like, having those strong arms around her while the swayed together…
“That doesn’t mean I won’t make an attempt, if that’s what you want.” Reaching out, he grabbed hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I might embarrass you, though. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I doubt you’ll embarrass me. How could you?” Warmth suffused her. He was being so kind. Watching out for her, defending her against Annalisa, willingly taking her wherever she wanted to go in the city. Indulging her by wanting to dance when he probably wasn’t comfortable doing so.
Her opinion of Rafael Renaldi was starting to change, slowly but surely. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.
